STANFORD UNIVERSITY FOOTBALL MEDIA CONFERENCE

October 21, 2023

Chip Kelly

Postgame Media Conference

Stanford 7, UCLA 42

Q. What was your overall take?

CHIP KELLY: I thought it was a good team win. I think both sides, offensively and defensively, really contributed. We generated a pass rush and made that difficult for their offense. That front of ours is difficult to block, so kept them kind of behind.

And then offensively I thought we got off to a good start. As we talk about all the time, especially in conference games, if you win the turnover battle you got an opportunity to win the game. We did not turn it over offensively today. We caused from them. Those are some of the positives.

Q. Made a change of quarterback. When did you make that decision?

CHIP KELLY: At the end of the week. Dante was banged up a little bit the beginning of the week, so Garbs got predominant amount of snaps early in the week, and then just over the course of the week as we looked at it, as we get to the end of week like we always do, where are we? What's our depth? Who can contribute?

So Ethan earned the start this week from a practice standpoint in terms of where we are. I thought Dante came in and did a really nice job. He was really good towards the end of the week too. We're pretty confident in what we have at quarterback right now.

Q. When you say banged up, from what happened in practice? Previous game? Both?

CHIP KELLY: Everything.

Q. Obviously he was struggling. How much did that go into it?

CHIP KELLY: Didn't.

Q. How do you think Ethan played tonight?

CHIP KELLY: I thought Ethan played really well tonight. We've always felt like we have had depth at the quarterback spot. I think Collin Schlee is a really good quarterback. Collin wasn't available today, but we felt like we have always had three kids that can play quality football for us.

So I'm really pleased with Ethan today, but I don't think anything that Ethan did surprised any of us on our staff or players, because we see that on a daily basis.

Q. His ability to scramble the ball, run with the ball, what does that bring to the dimension...

CHIP KELLY: Yeah, same thing. I thought he kept some drives alive, and Dante did too when was in there later. But people are going to may man coverage if they're not going to spy the quarterback, then your quarterback has to be able to make -- if the coverage is tight and you don't have an opportunity to it have an open receiver then you have to use your feet. I think he extended drives for us because he made some critical decisions to take off and go. That was big for us today.

Q. (Regarding being redshirt now.) Did you have a conversation with him about that?

CHIP KELLY: No. Never had a conversation with him.

Q. Where does this leave the quarterback situation going forward?

CHIP KELLY: I think in great shape. Feeling really good about our quarterback situation. We've got a couple really, really good quarterbacks so we're excited.

Q. What will determine who's your starter going forward?

CHIP KELLY: We'll see who is healthy and available at the end of every week like we do every week.

Q. Carson Steele, three touchdowns match his career high. What do you think of his...

CHIP KELLY: Yeah, just tough, hard-nosed, physical runner. Always running behind his pads. Got great body lean. Great balance. Very rarely does the first person knock him down. He's got a great mindset when it comes to running the football.

He's tenacious when he has the ball in his hands. Really productive. We didn't get as much run with him in the second half, but we were trying to get some of those other guys in.

I thought Anthony Adkins did a really nice job with his. TJ had a huge run at the end of the third quarter that looked like Stanford was getting back in the game a little bit. We needed a little momentum back on our side, and TJ hit a big run on a third and long call that popped it for us.

So, again, I think that's another position where we have some depth. Carson has been outstanding all year long and tough, hard nosed, physical again today.

Q. You mentioned Ethan was really critical in extending drives for you guys today, especially on third downs.

CHIP KELLY: Uh-huh.

Q. Just thoughts on the decision making in those scenarios.

CHIP KELLY: Yeah, I thought he did a good job overall. There are some decisions he wants back when we come over to the sideline and we talk about what just transpired on the last drive. I'm sure he would say the same thing, there is one or two.

Overall I thought in every facet he played really well.

Q. How aggressive was the defensive?

CHIP KELLY: Yeah, I mean, our defense has played at a really high level in every game this year I think. We have been really pleased with what those guys can do.

I think there is a front -- our linebackers are playing at an outstanding level right now, and I think the back end is really doing some good things that we were very conscious of their receiver. He had 294 yards in the second half of the game the week before, so we had to know where he was on every play, and I thought our guys did a really nice job.

Caught the one slant, but I thought Devin did a really good job of punching the ball out and turning it into a turnover. But containing him and containing their passing game, because that's what got them back in the game against Colorado, was critical to us. But it starts with the pass rush, and we got to be close in coverage, and for the most part we were like that throughout the game.

Q. How many times, in your coaching career, have you had more first downs than the other team has had rushing yards?

CHIP KELLY: Is that what happened today?

Q. Yeah.

CHIP KELLY: I didn't know that. What did we have, 32?

Q. They ran for 24 and you had 30-something.

CHIP KELLY: I would say not very often. You know, we had a barn burner with Hofstra once I think in -- that may be the first one I can think of.

Besides that, I'm not sure. I didn't know that. Hofstra was good, too. Hell of a game.

Q. When was that?

CHIP KELLY: I want to say that was probably '96, '97. We had eight turnovers on offense. We were all on offense. Plus eight and won by three. That's a stat. I'll give you a stat. I don't think that's ever happened. When you're plus eight you're going to win, but not by three. We were plus eight and won by three.

That's part of the game. Just sad we're not going to play here again because I love this place. This was a special place, so keep going down memory road when you're here. I've been on the other side of that here, so it's good to win here. It's tough to win here. Good victory for us.